Like The First Time
by TheStardustApocalypse
Summary: Gene realises he loves Alex, but he's missed his chance to tell her. Alex knows she has unfinished business with Gene, and there are matters of the heart that need to be confessed. Slightly angsty Galex that has a fluffy ending! Set after the end of Series 3.


**Like The First Time**

In less than a week, Gene Hunt had lost everything that was ever close to him.

Of course, he had seen it all coming for a while now anyways, this slow descent into lonely madness. But when it actually happened, he didn't expect to feel so..._deflated_.

He felt like a balloon someone had been slowly letting the air out of, until they'd eventually gotten bored and let go, sending the Gene-Genie spinning into oblivion, trapped inside his balloon lamp.

Gene sighed, picking up his glass of whiskey to inspect it. It looked the same as it always did. Gene took a swig, and let out a harsh cough at the end. This whiskey was different. It tasted _bitter_. Swallowing it back anyway, Gene downed it in one and slammed the empty tumbler back on his desk, creating a loud thud that echoed through the empty halls of CID. Of course they were empty; nobody was here but him.

Gene didn't know what time it was. He estimated some low single digit number in the early hours of the morning, but he couldn't be bothered to find out. He didn't have the energy.

Gene leaned back on his chair, kicking his feet up to put them on his desk. He crossed his legs at the ankle, like always, the pale snakeskin of his boots poking out from under his trousers. Gene covered his face in his hand, and rubbed his face, sighing again.

Why wasn't it working?

Once again the Gene Genie had saved the streets from criminal scum, he'd gone back to his office, poured himself a glass, and was more than ready to kick back and relax.

But there was not peace in his kingdom, and so the Manc Lion could not rest.

It was all different. Everything he'd cared about had been taken away.

His precious red Audi Quattro had been shot into smithereens, and he'd been given some other piece of metal as a substitute. His whole team had been taken away, Viv first, snatched too early because of a love for a family member.

And the rest of his team had soon followed. It was higher powers telling him he'd had them for too long, and now it was time to give them back. Ray, Chris and Shaz had all gone into the Railway Arms, smiling and laughing. And even though he'd miss them like hell (even though he'd never admit it), he knew they'd be just fine in the boozer that was their chosen afterlife destination.

The one face that wasn't smiling though, that had just had everything she'd ever known or thought was right ripped away, swam in his mind until she drowned, because Gene couldn't reach her in time to save her. Her face overwhelmed his brain, and he had to shut his eyes to stop his head from exploding.

If she were here she'd give him some long posh speech about how it was a coping technique, drinking and trying to numb the pain, but he knew it wasn't anything fancy or complicated about how he felt. If anything, it was painfully simple. It was the reason why he felt so bad, and so lonely.

He missed her because he loved her.

The Guv missed his Bolly.

Her face shot through his mind like the bullet he'd fired into her such a short time ago. The guilt and sadness he'd felt as he watched her slip away from him nearly killed him, but this was a thousand times worse. When she was in hospital, there was a chance she'd come back to him, and she did.

But this time, she was gone for good.

Gene sighed, and swallowed back the emotional lump he had in his throat. What if Bolly were here and saw him like this? Acting like the world's biggest poofter, he thought to himself gruffly. If anything, she'd probably be pleased that he had a heart.

But putting all their teasing and flirting aside, they both knew how the other felt. And it wasn't until Alex gave him that last kiss that broke his heart, he realised what an idiot he'd been. He shouldn't have let her go. He should have done what he always did and put his snakeskin boot down, and told her to keep her delectable rear end where it was, right next to him.

Maybe if he had he wouldn't be alone in the office.

Gene's piercing eyes never left the cool glass of the whiskey tumbler on his desk. He stared at the patterns engraved, and tried to delve into a deep thought. He tried to think of anything so he would forget about her and stop hurting so much.

It had been a few hours maybe. And he already couldn't take it. He was the keeper of the gate, the master of the circus ring, the Guv of the coppers limbo. He would have to be lonely for all of eternity.

Somewhere in the building, Gene heard footsteps. He assumed it was that new guy that had turned up again, shouting something about an 'iPhone'. Gene didn't know, nor did he care what he guy was on about. He'd found some other member of CID and told them to take the guy to Luigi's, and settle him in.

Gene wasn't in the mood for him.

The footsteps were getting louder, and clearly more confident. Gene figured that guy was coming back, probably to bother him again. Groaning, Gene stood to his feet, and marched around the desk to his door. He swung it open, and begun to shout.

"Right, I thought I told you to-!"

Gene stopped, and a few more steps were made. The noise of the shoes clacked against the floor, and echoed in Gene's ears. His mouth was open slightly, gormlessness eating away at his face. He couldn't believe his eyes. Gene blinked once, twice, and a third time, but still she didn't disappear. She was really stood there.

"Bolly" Gene breathed, and she smiled.

She wasn't ready to go.

That much was obvious the minute she stepped through the door. It had been a rash decision made when her heart was breaking over Molly, and it was a stupid decision. The minute Alex stepped through the door she'd broken down, sunk to her knees and sobbed.

Nelson had placed a comforting arm around her shoulders. He'd patted her back while she cried, over the loss of her life, over her daughter and over her home that she'd never live to see. She cried over the tragic fates of Shaz, Chris and Ray. And she'd cried harder when she thought about the Guv.

Would he be lonely in his office? Or would he still be stood on the street outside, looking at the Railway Arms but not being allowed to enter? She hoped he'd be happy some day. But Alex knew that she would never be happy again, not without Molly, and not without Gene.

But as soon as she stopped crying, and wiped her tearstained face, hoping her mascara hadn't run too much, Nelson picked her up. He cleaned her up, and wiped the tears away, and whispered encouraging words to her.

And then pushed her back through the door that she'd come through.

"You're not done yet Alex. I'll see you when you are ready" Nelson told her, and shut the door to the Railway Arms behind her.

Still sniffling, Alex had wrapped her big coat around her as she once again found herself on the cold London streets. She'd taken a few tentative steps forward, trying to figure out what to do.

She didn't know where to go. But if she couldn't go home to Molly, there was only one other person she'd ever want to spend the rest of her life with. And it wasn't some one night fling or even dishy Evan White. It was Gene Hunt. It was stupid, gobby, sexist, racist, prehistoric Gene Hunt with his Manchester accent and stupid snakeskin boots.

She'd begun to run then, all the way back to CID, in her heels on the uneven London ground. She hadn't stopped until she reached the building where she worked, and then she'd begun to stagger inside.

Her chest was tight and she was petrified. What if he wasn't there? He could be with any number of extremely willing women, and maybe he didn't like her the way she liked him. Had she made a terrible mistake?

She'd realised she was outside the doors, and she pushed through it like she had so many times. She stepped in and saw her desk in its regular place, nothing moved or touched. Her eyes were immediately drawn to Gene's office.

The door was closed and the blinds were drawn. She knew he was in there because she could see his shadow, and even the outline of him was enough to make her lick her lips. Nervously, she bit her lip, and her heart rate soared like a bird when she saw him get up and go around the desk. He was coming though the door!

"Right, I thought I told you to-!"

His eyes locked on hers, and she released a breath she didn't know she had been holding. She took a few steps forwards, but still he didn't move. He blinked three times, and then spoke in a way that almost made her knees buckle.

"Bolly"

She smiled, her whole face breaking into the biggest grin. It was like someone had turned a light on inside her, and she shone because of Gene Hunt.

"Gene" She whispered.

Alex took another step closer to him, and laid her hand on his chest, like she'd done when they'd first met. She tilted her head upwards and looked into his eyes, her gaze briefly dropping to those pouty lips that she'd  
kissed only a few hours before.

"When I said see you around Bolls, this wasn't what I meant" Gene whispered, and Alex chuckled, blushing slightly, lowering her eyes. But she couldn't resist him for long, and she found herself drawn into his mysterious eyes again, shades of blue and green swirling around to create the beauty that was Gene Hunt's eyes.

"Couldn't stay away" Alex whispered back. She rubbed his chest slightly, and relished in the feel of the warmth radiating from his chest. Gene slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him. Alex's eyelids fluttered shut, and the inevitable happened.

His rough mouth pressed against her soft plump lips, and she moaned, reaching up to cup his face to move against her. His kiss was gentle and beautiful, and when he slid his tongue along her lower lip, asking permission into her mouth, Alex thought she might die. She allowed him in, and curious tongues explored wanting mouths with a passion that had finally been released after all the years of being told no.

After a few truly sensational minutes of kissing, Alex pulled away, and stared at Gene again. She took in his face, with that floppy, sandy blonde hair, and she reached up to move it out of his face. The way she was looking at him, totally in awe, like he might disappear any second. Gene feared the same, and so both of them held each other so tightly, terrified the other would let go.

"I want to stay Gene" Alex whispered, stroking his face with her thumb. He looked at her, and feeling her so close against him made him sure that he couldn't live without her.

"Are you sure Bolls?" He asked "Because don't think it'll be much different from before. We'll fight, we'll argue, and heaven knows we'll disagree on almost everything"

"Gene, I'm sure. And it will be different. It will be better" Alex replied, placing a light kiss on his lips. Gene regained his possessiveness on her, and wrapped both arms around her waist. He growled, and Alex's stomach exploded into butterflies. She smiled, and Gene felt her happiness in her kiss.

"So Mr Hunt, are we going to your place or mine?" Alex asked breathlessly, still blown away by Gene's kiss.

"That new coppers in your flat Alex" Gene told her, kissing her neck gently. Alex moaned quietly, and threaded her fingers through his hair. She tugged gently, which caused Gene to bite down on her neck. Alex groaned this time, low and throaty, because she'd never been so aroused in her entire life.

"Where's your house? We'll go to yours" Alex asked, her voice breathy. She tugged Gene's head up and his lips met hers again. Why hadn't they done this before? Gene pushed Alex back into her desk, and she fell onto it. Gene stood between her legs, and Alex wrapped them around him.

"Too far Bolls, far too far, I can't wait" Gene growled, and Alex felt her stomach flip. She loved this man, and the idea of being taken to bed by him was truly thrilling.

"How about we try that little fantasy of yours about your desk then?" Alex asked, grinning at Gene wickedly. Gene pulled back to look at her, confusion written on his masculine face.

"Come again Bolls?" He asked, and Alex giggled

"Your little doodle Gene, I saw it even when you think I didn't" Alex admitted, and Gene grinned at her. He lifted his hand to her face, and stroked her cheek affectionately. She nuzzled into his hand, and brought her hand up to cover his.

"You cheeky mare, Alex Drake, you're going to be punished for that one" Gene threatened, but it slid by. The soft eyes he was gazing at Alex with did nothing more than melt her heart. How this was the same man she'd gotten into hectic screaming matches with she didn't know.

"Yes please Guv" Alex begged, and she smiled her best seductive grin at him. Before she could protest, Gene bent down and scooped Alex up from the desk, swinging her into his arms. And like he had on that very first day they met, he carried her through CID.

Alex gazed up at the black and white tiles, the ones that hid the truth and the stars of this place. She couldn't care less what this chequered wonderland really was; all she knew was that she was here for good, with a man that she loved more than anything.

"Madam Fruitcake, the door handle if you please" Gene requested, and Alex pressed down on the door handle. Gene kicked his office door open, and shut it with the same foot. He dropped Alex gently onto her feet, and she turned to face him.

In one swift move, Gene had swept everything from his desk and onto the floor. It clattered and clashed, and Alex would have cringed at the sound, but Gene had her preoccupied. He took her into his arms again and kissed her, and they removed each other's coats.

"Gene... Gene, stop" Alex whispered, and Gene stopped at once.

Doubt filled his mind, and his heart began to race. Bolly was his lioness, but it never occurred to him that she might not want this. What if she didn't want this?

What if he had to spend all eternity being friends with a woman as gorgeous and mouthy as Alex Drake? He could see it now, him giving her coy looks across the office, and her off and married to some posh thatcherite, not caring what he did at all. He didn't want that. He wanted her, he wanted it all.

The panic and vulnerability in Gene's eyes made Alex want to cry. She'd never seen him looking so nervous, and the thought that she'd done that to him almost killed her. She stroked his cheek again, and realised that before they did this, she needed to say it. Alex had to say what needed to be said.

"Guv... Gene... I love you" Alex told him, and Gene almost passed out with relief. The glow in her skin and the shininess in her hazel brown eyes conveyed the truth; that this woman really did love him.

"Alex, I love you too"

There, he'd said it. He'd pushed away all his manly bravado, all the barriers and walls he put up to protect himself from getting hurt he'd torn down and he'd opened his soul to her. Alex kissed him again, and that one kiss sealed the deal.

Angels, devils, criminal scum and even the pencil necked Jim Keats couldn't keep them apart, and that was the way it should be.

The Manc Lion had his lioness Bolly back.

And he wouldn't let her go for anything.

**Please review, thanks for reading**

**TheStardustApocalypse x**


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